Quranic root
جري
j · r · y
The root centers on a thing moving onward or flowing along a course.
From the movement of water, the root extends to running or proceeding of ships, animals, celestial bodies, and other things; it also develops figurative senses of following a course, acting as another's agent, and adopting a customary way. The bird-crop term جِرِّيَّة is treated separately in the lexical evidence as probably involving substitution from قاف.
- Maqāyīs · row 1143
- Mufradāt · row 246
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 4
- Quran senses
- 64
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
جَرَى
jarā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 57 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
To run, flow, or move onward along a course.
Used of flowing water and of things that proceed or travel, including ships and moving celestial bodies; the Quranic uses include both literal flowing and directed movement along a course.
- Lane · entry 46608
- Mufradāt · row 246
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:266word 10
“flowing”
Quran 2:164word 11
“sail”
Quran 10:22word 12
“and they sail”
Quran 36:38word 2
“runs”
جَارِيَة
jāriyah
- Part of speech
- Active participle / noun
- Quran occurrences
- 6 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Flowing or running.
An active participle used adjectivally of something in motion; in the Quran it describes a flowing spring and, in plural forms, things that run or sail.
- Mufradāt · row 246
Selected Quran examples
Quran 88:12word 3
“flowing”
Quran 81:16word 1
“Those that run”
A ship or sailing vessel.
A substantivized active participle, named for its movement upon the sea; the plural جَوَارِ is used for sailing vessels.
- Lane · entry 46628
- Mufradāt · row 246
Selected Quran examples
Quran 69:11word 7
“the sailing (ship)”
Quran 42:32word 3
“(are) the ships”
Quran 51:3word 1
“And those sailing”
مَجْرًى
majran
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 1 occurrence
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
A course or route along which something runs.
In the Quranic construction مَجْرَاهَا, it denotes the course of the ship; the broader noun can also refer to a physical channel or passage.
- Lane · entry 46634
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:41word 6
“(is) its course”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 64 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 37 Classical meanings
جَرَى
To pervade or spread through the ears of grain, as flour does in the ear.
Used in the construction جَرَى الدَّقِيقُ فِي السُّنْبُلِ.
- Lane · entry 46608
جَرَى
To run, especially of a horse or similar animal.
A Classical specialization of the general motion verb, applied to an animal capable of running.
- Lane · entry 46608
- Lane · entry 46627
جَرَى إِلَى
To direct oneself toward, make one's aim, intend, or hasten to something.
The construction جَرَى إِلَى or جَرَى إِلَيْهِ takes a destination or intended object; it is also used of hastening toward something disapproved.
- Lane · entry 46608
جَرَى الخِلَافُ
For a dispute or controversy to proceed or continue concerning something.
A figurative construction used of disagreement or controversy.
- Lane · entry 46608
جَرَى لَهُ
To continue or befall someone; to happen or occur to someone.
Used with لَهُ or عَلَيْهِ in the relevant idiomatic constructions.
- Lane · entry 46608
يَجْرِي مَجْرَاهُ
To be like something else in condition, or to follow the same rule or course; to affect someone similarly.
A figurative construction of analogy, equivalence, or conformity, including grammatical conformity and similar effect.
- Lane · entry 46608
جَرَّى
To appoint, commission, or send someone as an agent, deputy, or messenger to carry out an affair.
The derived Form II verb may mean making someone a جَرِيّ or sending him to accomplish a need.
- Lane · entry 46609
جَارَى
To run with someone and, figuratively, to vie or compete with him.
The construction extends from literal running together to rivalry in an affair, discussion, or disputation.
- Lane · entry 46610
- Lane · entry 46612
أَجْرَى
To make something run or set it in motion.
Used causatively of water, tears, horses, ships, and similar moving things.
- Lane · entry 46611
أَجْرَى عَلَيْهِ
To make something permanent or continual for someone, including to provide a regular allowance.
Used with عَلَيْهِ or لَهُ in the sense of continuing a provision or entitlement.
- Lane · entry 46611
أَجْرَاهُ مُجْرَى
To make something equivalent to, analogous to, or subject to the same rule as something else.
The construction may concern similarity of condition, grammatical position, or practical effect.
- Lane · entry 46611
اِسْتَجْرَى
To demand or desire that someone or something run.
A Form X request or desiderative construction.
- Lane · entry 46613
مِنْ جَرَاكَ
Because of you, on your account, or for your sake.
A fixed prepositional expression equivalent to مِنْ أَجْلِكَ.
- Lane · entry 46616
جِرْيَة
A mode, manner, or degree of running.
A verbal noun used especially of the manner or vehemence of water's running.
- Lane · entry 46617
جَرَاء
Girlhood or the state of being a young girl.
Used in the expression فِي أَيَّامِ جَرَائِهَا, “in the days of her girlhood.”
- Lane · entry 46618
جَرِيّ
A commissioned agent, factor, or deputy who acts in another's affairs.
The noun denotes one who operates in the place or interest of the person who appoints him.
- Lane · entry 46620
جَرِيّ
A messenger or person sent to carry out an affair.
A related agentive use, distinguished from the broader terms for messenger and representative in some lexical descriptions.
- Lane · entry 46620
- Mufradāt · row 246
جَرِيّ
A servant, hired man, or hireling.
An extended social and occupational use of the agentive noun.
- Lane · entry 46620
جَرِيّ
A surety, guarantor, or person responsible for another.
Used of one accountable or answerable for someone else.
- Lane · entry 46620
جَرِيء
Bold or daring.
This is the hamzated headword جَرِيء, distinct in spelling from جَرِيّ.
- Lane · entry 46620
جِرَايَة
The office or function of an agent, deputy, or messenger.
A verbal-noun derivative referring to the role or office held by a جَرِيّ.
- Lane · entry 46622
جِرَايَة
A continuing daily allowance of food or similar provision.
A nominal use associated with a regular provision for servants or dependants.
- Lane · entry 46622
جِرِّيّ
The eel, a particular well-known fish.
A specialized lexical noun.
- Lane · entry 46625
جِرِّيَّة
The crop, craw, or first stomach of a bird.
A specialized anatomical noun for the pouch into which food passes; the lexical evidence treats it as related to قِرِّيَّة with a consonant substitution.
- Lane · entry 46626
- Maqāyīs · row 1143
صَدَقَة جَارِيَة
A continuing or perpetual charitable donation.
The participial adjective جَارِيَة modifies a charity whose benefit or provision continues.
- Lane · entry 46627
جَارِيَة
The sun, its disk, or a star in motion.
A substantivized feminine active participle named for the celestial body's movement across the sky.
- Lane · entry 46628
جَارِيَة
The wind.
A specialized noun based on the wind's movement.
- Lane · entry 46628
جَارِيَة
A girl or young woman.
The noun is associated lexically with youthful activity; it may also be used of a female slave, including one no longer young.
- Lane · entry 46628
جَارِيَة
A female slave.
A specialized social-status use distinct from the basic meaning “girl” or “young woman.”
- Lane · entry 46628
جَارِيَة
The eye of an animal.
A figurative anatomical use.
- Lane · entry 46628
جَارِيَة
A benefit, favor, boon, or blessing bestowed by God.
A figurative nominal use.
- Lane · entry 46628
إِجْرِيّ
A kind or mode of running.
The plural refers to a horse possessing several kinds or styles of running.
- Lane · entry 46629
إِجْرِيَّا
The act of running.
A verbal noun for running as an activity.
- Lane · entry 46632
إِجْرِيَّا
A custom, habit, or adopted manner that one follows.
A figurative extension from a course of running to a habitual course of conduct.
- Lane · entry 46632
إِجْرِيَّا
Nature, constitution, or natural disposition.
Used of an established quality belonging to someone's character or constitution.
- Lane · entry 46632
مَجْرًى
A channel, duct, conduit, or other passage through which a fluid runs; also a place or time of running.
A broader nominal use of مَجْرًى beyond the Quranic expression meaning a course or route.
- Lane · entry 46634
مُجْرٍ
One who makes a horse or other thing run.
An active participle used substantively, illustrated by a saying about one who exercises a horse in an empty place.
- Lane · entry 46635
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The QAC groups جَارِيَة, جَارِيَات, and جَوَارِ are presented under the singular citation form جَارِيَة; the Quranic contexts distinguish flowing things from sailing vessels and other runners.
The Quranic context for جَوَارِ at 81:16 is rendered as “those that run,” while other occurrences clearly refer to ships; the referent should not be made uniformly nautical.
جِرِّيَّة, the bird-crop term, is lexically distinguished in the supplied evidence from the ordinary running branch and is associated there with a possible قاف-to-جيم substitution.